A parking structure and four-story building would be demolished to make way for the mid-block tower, which would be flanked on its western side by the historic Abell Building.

Early plans for the structure were approved by the city's architectural review panel Thursday.

The building, at 325 W. Baltimore St., is planned to contain roughly 100,000 square feet of office space, about 225 apartments and above-ground parking for approximately 400 vehicles. There will be space for ground-floor retail on West Baltimore Street.

Curry Architects, of Towson, are the project's lead designers.

Brown Enterprises is also planning to build residential towers on the site of the nearby Morris A. Mechanic Theatre, which will be demolished, and has refurbished several buildings in the vicinity, including those in the 400 block of West Baltimore Street.

The firm is also responsible for Metro Centre, a transit-oriented development in Owings Mills.

Howard S. Brown, Brown Enterprises' chairman, said he envisions the apartments will serve the University of Maryland student body. The building will cost around $50 million and is likely to take about 18 months to complete once construction begins, he said.